Apparatus for storing and for transporting webs to a cutting device

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for storing webs, especially fabric webs and for transporting such webs superimposed upon each other to a cutting device, wherein the webs are wound up on a plurality of rolls carried by a frame and wherein the webs are withdrawn by withdrawing means from the rolls and guided in superimposed position onto an endless conveyor which transports the superimposed webs to the cutting device.

United States Patent Wilfried Baumann Bredenweg 134a, 4801 Hoberge- Uerentrup, Germany [72] lnventor 2| Appl. No. 809,157 [22] Filed Mar. 21,1969 [45] Patented Aug. 24, 1971 [54] APPARATUS FOR STORING AND FOR TRANSPORTING WEBS TO A CUTTING DEVICE 2,066,316 1/1937 Baynton et al. 242/67.3 UX 2,154,440 4/1939 Crotts 242/55.3 2,369,347 2/1945 Gibson et al.. 242/55 X 2,591,694 4/1952 Gilbert 242/553 X 2,593,709 4/1952 Ware, Jr. et a1. 242/55 2,766,984 10/1956 Franzmann 242/55.3 X 2,944,753 7/1960 Odell et a1. 242/67.3

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder Attorney-Michael S. Striker ABSTRACT: An apparatus for storing webs, especially fabric webs and for transporting such webs superimposed upon each other to a cutting device, wherein the webs are wound up on a plurality of rolls carried by a frame and wherein the webs are withdrawn by withdrawing means from the rolls and guided in superimposed position onto an endless conveyor which transports the superimposed webs to the cutting device.

I Z] 1/7 200 n qan f A s IE I PATENTED M1824 Ian SHEET 8 BF 8 APPARATUS FOR STORING AND FOR TRANSPORTING WEBS TO A CUTTING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for storing webs, especially fabric webs and for transporting such webs superimposed upon each other to a cutting device.

In the manufacture of apparel, layers of fabrics are placed in superimposed positions on a cutting table, or on a support plate of a cutting die so that the superimposed layers may simultaneously be cut according to a desired pattern.

It is common practice to provide such superimposed layers of fabric by manually folding an elongated fabric web on a table or by manually superimposing on the table surface a plurality of fabrics, which is quite a time-consuming operation and which quite often does not assure that the fabrics are properly superimposed upon each other. Also, the storing of the fabrics in easy and accessible manner and the transportation of the various fabric webs to the cutting table is connected with considerable difficulties.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned difficulties during manufacture of apparel in which a plurality of superimposed layers of fabric are to be simultaneously cut according to a predetermined pattern.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for an apparatus in which a great number of webs, especially webs of fabric, may be stored in a convenient manner and in which the apparatus serves also for simultaneously feeding the webs in superimposed position to a cutting device.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide for such an apparatus in which the feeding of the superimposed webs may be carried out continuously or intermittently in a very efficient manner.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide for such an apparatus which not only permits to store a great number of fabric webs ina relatively small space, but which is also composed of relatively few and simple parts so that the apparatus may be manufactured at reasonable cost and will stand up under extensive use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With these objects in view, the apparatus according to the present invention for storing webs of material, especially webs of fabric, and for transporting such webs superimposed upon each other to a cutting device, mainly comprises storing means including frame means and a plurality of supply rolls rotatably mounted on the frame means and each having a web of material wound thereon, transporting means including endless conveyor means mounted on said frame means and having an upper run directed toward said cutting device and a lower run, drive means operatively connected to the conveyor means for moving the upper run thereof towards the cutting device, and guide means for guiding the webs from the plurality of supply rolls in such a manner against one of the runs of the conveyor means so that said webs will be transported superimposed upon each other to the cutting device.

The endless conveyor means may be mounted above the plurality ofsupply rolls or below the same.

The supply rolls are preferably carried by the frame means in parallel substantially upright rows, and the apparatus also includes a plurality of withdrawal means, one for each row of rolls for simultaneously withdrawing the webs from the rolls of the respective row and for placing these webs in superimposed condition onto the endless transporting conveyor so that the superimposed webs will be fed by the latter in substantially untensioned condition to the cutting device.

Preferably the storing means of the apparatus are mounted on rollers so as to be movable with respect to the remainder of the apparatus, which permits to maintain a plurality of storing means which may be selectively connected to the remainder of the apparatus.

According to another feature of the present invention, it is also possible to connect the plurality of storing means in series with each other so that webs from the plurality of storing means may be transported by the endless conveyor to the cutting device.

The apparatus according to the present invention permits a continuous very efficient operation especially when the cutting device is a cutting roller, but also if the cutting device is for instance a cutting die, the apparatus according to the present invention may be driven in synchronism with the operation of the cutting die.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of one embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 1a is a plan view illustrating an example of a pattern according to which the webs are to be cut;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a detail of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale, and especially illustrating the front end of the endless conveyor means, and

' withdrawal means cooperating therewith;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the withdrawal means shown in FIG. 2 and showing further details of the same;

FIG. 4 is an axial cross section through one of the supply rolls and the means for turnably supporting the same;

FIG. 5 is a top view ofthe arrangement shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partially sectioned side view of coupling means for fixedly connecting the movable storing means of the apparatus in operating position to the remainder of the apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view ofa second embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross section through withdrawal means of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7 and drawn to an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the third embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing, and more specifically to FIGS. 1-3 of the same, it will be seen that the apparatus ac cording to the present invention comprises frame means including an auxiliary frame 3 mounted adjacent the cutting table 1 above which a cutting device, for instance a cutting die 2 of known construction, is arranged, and main frame 17 located on the side of the auxiliary frame 3 which is distant from the cutting table 1. The main frame 17 comprises a plurality of substantially upright struts 27, which in the construction as shown in FIG. 1 are inclined at an acute angle to the vertical so that the bottom end of each strut is closer to the cutting table 1 than the top end thereof. The main frame 17 carries a plurality of supply rolls 16 on each of which an elongated web of material, for instance fabric web 30, is wound up, and the supply rolls 16 are in the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 arranged in a plurality of rows respectively located between the struts 27 of the main frame and the shaft 18 of each supply roll 16 is turnably supported, for instance by a bracket 17, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1, which bracket is connected at opposite ends, in a manner which will be described in detail later on, to the adjacent struts 27. A transverse member, connecting the struts at the lower ends thereof, carries a plurality of rollers 10 so that the main frame 17 with the supply rolls thereon and forming the storing means 7 of the apparatus may be easily moved relative to the remainder of the apparatus, whereby a plurality of storing means may be selectively placed in operating position to the remainder of the apparatus in the manner which will be described later on. Preferably, a plurality of short rail sections 11 cooperating with the rollers are provided to facilitate exact positioning of the storing means 7 relative to the auxiliary frame and the elements carried by the latter.

Coupling means including a male element 12 carried by the main frame 17 and a female element 13 carried by the auxiliary frame 3 may also be provided for maintaining the main frame in operating position relative to the auxiliary frame 3. The coupling means 12 and 13 are only schematically shown in the drawing, and various coupling means of known construction may be used for the aforementioned purpose. Such coupling means may not only be mounted adjacent the lower end of the two frames, but such coupling means may also be provided at the adjacent upper ends of the two frames, and the specific construction of a coupling means to be used for this purpose will be described later on in connection with FIG. 6.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the main frame 17 also carries above the supply rolls 16 part of the transporting means of the apparatus, that is endless conveyor means in form of an endless conveyor belt 28 having a width at least equal to the width of the webs wound on the supply rolls and supported at opposite ends by a pair of rolls or pulleys 29 and 29', which in turn are rotatably mounted in the main frame in any convenient manner, not shown in the drawing. The pulleys 29 and 29 preferably have at opposite ends radially extending flanges to prevent shifting of the conveyor belt 28 in transverse direction. Preferably, a plurality ofadditional supporting rolls 29" turnably mounted on upper end portions of some of the struts 27 support the upper run 28a of the endless conveyor belt 28 intermediate the ends ofthe latter.

The auxiliary frame 3 carries at an upper portion thereof an endless drive and conveyor belt 4 on a pair of supporting rolls or pulleys 100 and 101 turnably mounted, in a manner not shown in the drawing, on the auxiliary frame 3 so that the upper run of the belt 4 extends in a downwardly inclined plane from the front end of the conveyor means 28 downwardly to the cutting table 1. The lower one of the pulleys 100 is driven by means of a belt drive 6 over a gear transmission 5a, schematically shown in FIG. I, from a motor 5, for instance an electric motor, in such a direction that the upper run of the belt 4 moves downwardly towards the cutting table 1. A gear 96, coaxially fixed to the upper pulley 101 to be rotated therewith during movement of the belt 4, meshes with a gear 23 which is carried on a lever 23' tiltably mounted at the lower end thereof on the common shaft of the pulley 101 and the gear 96 so that the gear 23 can be brought in mesh with a gear 88 coaxially mounted with and fixedly connected to the pulley 29 of the endless conveyor means 28 to thereby drive the latter from the belt 4 through the gear transmission 96, 23, and 88. Preferably, a gear 104 is also coaxially fixed to the rear pulley 29 and a gear 23a meshes with the gear 104 and is carried in the same manner as the gear 23 on a tiltable lever so that a second storing unit 7 may be connected in series to the storing unit 7 shown in FIG. 1.

The apparatus includes further guide means shown in FIG. 1 .IS a plurality of guide rolls 14, one for each supply roll 16, respectively mounted on the struts 27 of the main frame 17, so that web 30 from the respective supply roll 16 may be drawn over the guide roll 14 and from there in upward direction towards the lower run 28b of the conveyor means 28. As can be seen from FIG. I, the guide rolls 14 are also arranged in rows substantially parallel to the rows in which the supply rolls are arranged so that the webs 30 withdrawn from the lower rolls of each row may be superimposed on the webs from the upper rolls ofeach row, while between these webs and the ad acent strut 27 a free elongated space 47 is maintained to facilitate threading ofthe webs over the guide rolls 14.

The apparatus includes further a plurality of withdrawal means 105, one for each row of rolls, which in the arrangement as shown in FIG. 1 are arranged and constructed to press the plurality of superimposed webs 30 from a row of rolls 16 against the bottom face of the lower run 28b of the endless conveyor means 28. The withdrawal means of the arrangement shown in FIGS. l-3 comprise each a withdrawal roll 31 turnably mounted on one end of a pair of levers 32 respectively arranged to opposite sides of the lower run 28b, only the front one of which is shown in FIG. 2. The levers 32 are intermediate the ends thereof turnably mounted on a pivot pin 38, carried by the main frame 17 in a manner not shown in the drawing, and the levers carry at the opposite ends thereof a friction roll 33 adapted to engage the upper face of the lower run 28b of the endless conveyor means 28. The levers 32 of the withdrawal means 105 may be turned from their active position, as shown at the left side of FIG. 2, in which the withdrawal roll 31 presses the webs 30 against the bottom face of the lower run 28 and in which the friction roll 33 frictionally engages the top face ofthe lower run, to an'inoperative position, as sho n at the right side of FIG. 2, -in which the rolls 31 and 33 are disengaged from the respective faces of the lower run of the belt. Transmission means are provided between the friction roll 33 and the withdrawal roll 31, and these transmission means may include, as schematically shown in FIG. 3, a gear 34 coaxially fixed to the friction roll 33 for rotation therewith, a gear 37 coaxially fixed to the withdrawal roll 31 for rotation therewith anda pair-of idler gears 35 and 36 turnably carried by one of the levers 32 in mesh with each other and respectively meshing with the gears 34 and 37. For simplification reasons, the aforementioned gears are omitted from FIG. 2. The friction roll 33 may be provided at the peripheral surface thereof with small projections to increase the frictional contact with the upper face of the lower run 281;. An operating lever 39 is connected in any convenient manner to one of the levers 32 to turn the latter and the rolls and gears carries thereby between the operating position and the inoperative position. In each of the positions the withdrawal means 105 are held in position by arresting means of standard construction, not shown in the drawing. It will be evident that, when the withdrawal means 105 are in their operating position, the webs 30 coming from the respective row of supply rolls 16 will not only be pressed against the bottom face of the lower run 28b of the endless ,conveyor means 28, but during movement of the lower run 28b towards the right, the withdrawal means will be rotated in a direction which withdraws the webs 30 from the respective row of supply rolls 16 in upward direction against the lower run 28b.

The guide means prefer'ably include also a thin guide plate 21 for each of the withdrawal means 105 and extending downstream in the direction of movement of the lower run 28 slightly downwardly spaced from the bottom face of the latter from the region of one withdrawal roll 31 toward but short of the following withdrawal roll. Each of the guide plates 31 has a downwardly curved inlet end 22 adjacent to the peripheral surface of the respective withdrawal roll 31 so that the ends 30' of the webs 30 coming from the respective row of supply rolls 16 may be clamped between the peripheral surface of the respective withdrawal roll 31 and the curved inlet end 22 of the cooperating guide plate 21 when the respective withdrawal means 105 is in its inoperative position, as shown at the right side of FIG. 2. Preferably, a removable handle 42 may be connected to the shaft 18 of each supply roll 16 to permit manually turning of the respective supply roll in a direction in which the web is rewound thereon. On the other hand, means not shown in the drawing and not forming part of the present invention may also be provided to turn the rolls of each row in the rewinding direction.

The apparatus may further include, especially if the apparatus is used for storing and transporting fabrics, a paper supply roll 8 mounted on the auxiliary frame 3, in a manner not shown in the drawing, and driven in unwinding direction from the transmission gear means 5a over a belt drive, as schematically indicated in FIG. 1, so that a paper web wound on the roll 8 may be unwound therefrom and placed on the upper surface of the supper run of the belt 4. The various webs coming from the storing means 7 are then placed on top of the paper web coming from the roller 8 and the auxiliary frame 3 may in addition also carry on a roll 9 a pattern web 9, part of which is shown in FIG. la, and the roll 9 may be driven in a manner not shown in the drawing from the motor 5 so that that the pattern web 9 may be unwound therefrom and placed on the top face of the uppermost of the plurality of superimposed webs fed in downward direction by the upper run of the belt 4 toward the cutting table 1. The apparatus may also include a measuring device 40, as schematically indicated in FIG. 1, carried by the auxiliary frame 3 in any suitable manner, not shown in the drawing, to measure the lengths of the webs as they are fed toward the cutting table.

The above-described apparatus will operate as follows:

At the beginning of the operation the withdrawal means 105 are moved to their open or inoperative positions in which the rolls 31 are downwardly spaced from the lower run 28b of the endless conveyor means 28, and the various webs 30 from the supply rolls are manually moved over the guide rolls 40 and over the respective withdrawal rolls 31. The motor 5 is then started, and the withdrawal means 105 are one by one, starting with the withdrawal means 105 which is closest to the cutting table 1, moved from the inoperative position to the operative position so that the webs from the respective row of rolls are clamped between the peripheral surface of the withdrawal rolls 31 and the bottom face of the lower run 28b of the endless conveyor and fed towards the right, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the next withdrawal roll, which, when the webs from the preceding row of rolls reach this next withdrawal roll, is also moved to the operating position so that the webs from the first row of rolls are fed in superimposed position together with the webs of the following row of rolls to the third row of rolls and so on, until the webs from all row of rolls reach the right end of the endless conveyor 28, as viewed in FIG. 1, whereafter the webs are reversed over the guide pulley 29 and fed by the upper run 28a onto the upper run of the drive and conveyor belt 4 to the cutting table 1. Before the webs from the storage means 7 reach the belt 4, a paper web from the roll 8 will be placed on the top surface of the upper run of this belt, and if the roll 9 is also rotated, a pattern web 9' will be placed on the top surface of the uppermost of the superimposed webs 30. If the cutting device above the cutting table 1 is a cutting roll, feeding of the webs may be carried out continuously, but if the cutting device is reciprocating die, the feeding of the webs has to be intermittently, and appropriate control means may be provided for the motor 5 to stop and start the latter in sequence with the reciprocation of the cutting die. If it is desired to simultaneously cut a number of'layers which is smaller than the number of supply rolls on the storing means 7, then the webs 30 from a number of rolls 16 are manually rewound by turning a handle 42 placed on the shaft of the respective supply roll and the ends of 30' of the undesired webs, that is the webs which are not to be cut, may be clamped between the periphery of the respective withdrawal roll 31 and the curved inlet end 22 of the respective guide plate 21.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a preferred mounting of the supply rolls 16 on the frame means of the apparatus to facilitate the placement of individual supply rolls 16 on the frame means. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the shaft 18 of each supply roll 16 is supported on a portion thereof projecting towards the left, as viewed in these Figures, beyond the respective supply roll 16 on a carriage 43, which on each of its opposite ends is provided with three rollers 44, 45, 46 of which the rollers 45 and 46 ride on a pair of parallel rails 48 which extend parallel to the shaft axis and are fixed in any convenient manner to the struts 27 of the main frame, whereas the third roller 44 engages the respective rail 48 at the bottom surface thereof. The transverse portion of the carriage 43 which extends normal to the shaft axis carries at a central part thereofa pair of support rollers 60 and 61, the peripheral surface thereof engage the peripheral surface of an annular support member 59 coaxially fixed to the shaft 18. The portion of each shaft 18 projecting beyond the right side, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, of the respective supply roll 16 is supported on substantially U- shaped bracket which at opposite ends thereof is supported in bearing blocks 50, secured in any convenient manner to the corresponding structs 27, for tilting movement in the direction as indicated by the arrow B about a tilting axis 49 extending transverse to the shaft axis. In the normal or working position of the bracket 15, the latter will extend upwardly from the bearing blocks 50 at an acute angle inclined to the. vertical as shown in FIG. 4, whereby portions of the bracket 15 extend outwardly and downwardly beyond the tilting axis 49 abut against the inner face of the respective struts 27 so as to prevent further inward tilting of the bracket. Each bracket 15 carries at a central region thereof a pair of transversely spaced support rollers 51 and 52 so as to turnably Support the right shaft portion. A centering member 54 is coaxially connected to the left end, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, of each shaft 18, and the projecting cylindrical nose of the centering member 54 engages, in the working position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, into the inner race of ball bearing 55 mounted in any convenient manner on the frame means 17. The centering member 54 is preferably connected to the left end of the shaft 18 by a pin 65 so that the centering member 54 can tilt slightly with respect to the axis of the shaft 18 so as to compensate for any assembly inaccuracies.

Preferably, each of the shafts carries also a pair of positioning members 56 and 57, arranged adjacent opposite ends of the respective supply roll, to prevent shifting of the supply roll 16 in axial direction of the shaft. Each of the supply rolls 16 is preferably provided with a central sleeve 58 surrounding the shaft 18 with clearance, and the positioning members 56 and 57 preferably have frustoconical end portions directed towards each other so that the ends of'these frustoconical end portions may be inserted into the interior of the sleeve 58. The positioning member 56 is preferably fixedly connected to the member 59, whereas the positioning member 57 is mounted movable in axial direction of the shaft 18 and fixable by any convenient means known in the art in any adjusted position to the shaft. The centering member 54 may have a projection projecting beyond the bearing 55 and having at its outer end a preferably square cross section so that a handle 42 may be releasably attached thereto for manually rewinding the web on the supply roll 16.

When it is desired to remove one of the supply rolls 16 from the storing means 7, the respective bracket 15 is swung outwardly and downwardly to the position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4, and then the respective shaft 18 is pulled towards the right, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5, whereby the carriage 43 will move along the rails 48 and support the main weight of the supply roll, whereafter the positioning member 57 is released from the shaft so that the supply roll 16 and the sleeve 58 thereon may be pulled off the shaft and replaced by a new one.

FIG. 6 shows a preferred coupling arrangement for coupling the main frame 17 to the auxiliary frame 3, as well as a preferred arrangement for bringing and maintaining the gear 23 in mesh with the gears 88 and 96, respectively coaxially arranged and fixed to the pulleys 29' and 101. The coupling means may comprise a pair of levers 83 respectively arranged at the front side and in the rear side of the frames 3 and 17, and only the front one of which is shown in FIG. 6, and each of the levers 83 is pivotally mounted at the left end thereof, as viewed in FIG. 6, on an upright bolt 84 fixed to the auxiliary frame, whereas the right end portion of each lever 83 is provided with a screw thread 83a and extends through a fork 86 fixed to the main frame 17. A handwheel is provided on the threaded right end portion of each lever so that by turning the handwheel in the appropriate direction, the frame 17 will be moved towards the left, as viewed in FIG. 6 against a distance member 97 sandwiched between the right end of the auxiliary frame 3 and the left end of the main frame 17.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 6, the gear 23 is not mounted on a lever 23, as shown in FIG. 1, but in this case the gear 23 is mounted on a lever 89 which at its right end, as viewed in FIG. 6, is pivoted on the shaft 87 of the pulley 29 and the gear 88 coaxially therewith. The lever 89 carries on its free left end, as viewed in FIG. 6, the shaft 90 ofthe gear 23. A rod 91 is pivotally connected at 91' to the left end of the lever 89, and the threaded end 92 of the rod 91 is engaged by a nut 93, held against axial displacement in a bearing 94 fixed to the main frame 17, so that by turning the nut 93 the position ofthe rod 91 may be adjusted in axial direction, whereafter the position of the rod 91 may be fixed by a counternut 95.

When the two frames 33 and 17 are locked with each other in working position, the position of the rod 91 is adjusted so that the gear 23 meshes with the gears 88 and 96. If it is desired to move the main frame 17 away from auxiliary frame, the gear 23 is first disengaged from the gear 96 by adjusting the position of the rod 91 and then the handwheel 85 is turned in the appropriate direction and the lever 83 is disengaged from its fork 86.

FIG. 7, schematically shows a side view of a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention. The apparatus shown in FIG. 7 differs from the apparatus described above mainly in that the main frame 17' carries the supply rolls 16 above the transporting means, that is the endless conveyor means 28, and in that the webs 30 from the supply rolls 16 are fed in this case against the upper face of the upper run 28a of the endless conveyor means. The withdrawal means 41 in the construction, as shown in FIG. 7, differs also from the withdrawal means 105 shown in the preceding embodiment.

The withdrawal means 41 for each row of supply rolls 16 comprise, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a pair of withdrawal rolls 41a and 41b as best shown in FIG. 8. The withdrawal rolls 41a and 41b are arranged, in their working position as shown in FIG. 8, to clamp a plurality of webs 30a, coming from the respective row of supply rolls 16 over the guide roll 14, between the peripheral surfaces thereof and to feed the superimposed webs onto the upper face of the upper run 2811 of the endless conveyor means 28. Both of the withdrawal rolls 41a and 41b are driven from a friction roll 70 which is mounted on the frame 17 in any convenient manner, not shown in FIG. 8, to frictionally engage the bottom face of the upper run 280 of the endless conveyor means. The rotation of the friction roll 70 is transmitted to the withdrawal rolls 41a and 41b by a gear transmission which comprises a gear 71 coaxially fixed to the friction roll 70, an idler gear 72 meshing with the gear 71 and a gear 73 coaxially fixed to the withdrawal roll 41a, and from the gear 73 the drive is transmitted to the other withdrawal roll 4112 by a pair of idler gears 75 and 76 in mesh with each other and respectively meshing with the gear 73 and a further gear 76 coaxially fixed to the roll 41b. The roll 41b of the withdrawal means 41 is mounted on levers 77 which are tiltable about the shaft 78 of the gear 76 between an operative position, as shown in FIG. 8 in which the withdrawal rolls 41a and 41b can feed the plurality of webs 30a onto the upper face of the upper run 28a and an inoperative position in which the withdrawal roll 41b is tilted towards the left, as viewed in FIG. 8, to disengage the peripheral surface thereof from the webs. The withdrawal roll 41b, respectively the levers 77, carrying the same are held in the operative respectively the inoperative position by means of conventional nature not shown in the drawing. Likewise, not shown in the drawing, are the means turnably mounting the withdrawal rolls and the gears cooperating therewith. Preferably, each of the withdrawal rolls 41a and 41b has an outer rubber layer 79 to increase the frictional engagement of the peripheral surface thereof with the webs.

The auxiliary frame 3 has in this modification also a slightly different configuration and the transporting and conveyor belt 4 extends substantially in an upwardly inclined plane toward he cutting table 1, not shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 illustrates a third embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention in which the supply rolls 16 of the storing means 7" are arranged as in the preceding embodiment above the conveyor means 28. In this arrangement, however, the conveyor means 28 are arranged on a stationary first frame 68 which is fixedly connected to the auxiliary frame 3",

whereas the second frame 17", which carries the supply rolls 16, straddles with the lower portion thereof the first frame 68 and is mounted movable relative to the latter on wheels 10, while the first frame 68 is stationary supported on legs 95. The withdrawal means 41, which are of a construction as described above in connection with FIG. 8, are in this case respectively mounted on blocks 69 carried in fixed position on the first frame 68. In this arrangement, the frame 17" carries only the supply rolls 16 in the manner as described before, whereas the whole drive is arranged on the auxiliary frame 3" and the first frame 68. The drive motor which drives the drive and conveyor belt 4 in the manner as described before, is not shown in FIG. 9, and the drive from the belt 4 is again transmitted to the endless conveyor means 28 in the manner as described before, whereas the rolls of the withdrawal means 41 are driven from the upper run of the conveyor 28 in the manner as described in connection with FIG. 8. The lengths of the first frame 68 may be considerably greater than that of one second frame so that two or more of such second frames may be placed in operative position over the elongated first frame. Of course, it is to be understood that in this case the first frame has to carry a corresponding number of withdrawal means 41. The wheels 10 of each second frame are preferably arrestable, for instance by brakes not shown in the drawing, so that after the second frame is brought into proper position with respect to the first frame, the position may be properly maintained.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of apparatus for storing webs and for transporting such webs superimposed upon each other to a cutting device differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in apparatus for storing webs and for trans orting such webs superimposed upon each other to a cutting device in which the apparatus includes storing means comprising a plurality of supply rolls carrying such webs wound thereon, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. Apparatus for storing webs of material, especially webs of fabric, and for transporting such webs superimposed upon each other to a cutting device, said apparatus comprising, in combination, storing means including frame means and a plurality of supply rolls rotatably mounted in said frame means and arranged in a plurality of rows transversely spaced from each other and in each row one above the other; transporting means including endless conveyor means mounted on said frame means and having an upper and a lower run, and drive means operatively connected to said conveyor means for moving said runs with a predetermined linear speed; a plurality of guide means for guiding the webs of each row of supply rolls superimposed upon each other in longitudinal direction toward one of said runs of said conveyor means; a plurality of withdrawal means, one for each row, for simultaneously withdrawing webs in the superimposed condition and for feeding the same onto said one run, each of said withdrawal means comprising at least one rotary withdrawal member; driven from said one run of said endless conveyor means for rotating said rotary withdrawal member at a peripheral speed equal to said predetermined linear speed of said runs, said conveyor means receiving said webs from said withdrawal means and said webs being transported between said withdrawal means and said cutting device solely by engagement with said endless conveyor means so that the webs are fed by said conveyor means in untensioned condition to said cutting device.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary member of said withdrawal means is constituted by a roll, and including transmission means between said withdrawal roll and said one run of said conveyor means for rotating said withdrawal roll during movement ofsaid conveyor means.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said transmission means includes a friction roll engaging said one run on the other side thereof and gear means between said friction roll and said at least one withdrawal roll.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said endless conveyor means has an upper and a lower run and is mounted above said plurality of supply rolls of said storing means and wherein said guide means guide said webs against said lower run of said endless conveyor means.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said endless conveyor means has an upper and a lower run and is mounted below said plurality of supply rolls of said storing means and wherein said guide means guide said webs against said upper run of said endless conveyor means.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and including roller means supporting said frame means movable toward and away from said cutting device.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of supply rolls are arranged in a plurality of rows so that the centerlines of the rolls in each row are located in a plane which includes with the vertical an acute angle 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said withdrawal means includes only one withdrawal roll, and means supporting said withdrawal roll and said friction roll novable between an active position in which said withdrawal roll is closely adjacent said one side of said one run and presses a plurality of superimposed webs against said one side while said friction roll frictionally engages the other side of said one run, and an inactive position in which said withdrawal roll is further spaced from said one side of said run than in said active position and said friction roll is disengaged from said other side of said one run.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said supporting means includes a pair of levers tiltably mounted intermediate the ends thereof on said frame means and turnably carrying on opposite ends said withdrawal roll and said friction roll, respectively, said gear means comprising a plurality of gears likewise carried by said levers.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said conveyor means is mounted above said plurality of rolls and wherein said withdrawal roll cooperates with the bottom face of the lower run of said conveyor means and said friction roll with the top face of said lower run.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said guide means include a guide plate for each withdrawal means extending downstream therefrom adjacent and substantially parallel to the bottom face of said-lower run and each having a downwardly curved inlet end arranged so that a plurality of superimposed webs from the respective row of supply rolls may be clamped between the peripheral surface of the respective withdrawal roll and the inlet end of said plate when said withdrawal means are in the inoperative position thereof.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, and including turning means releasably connectable to each of said supply rolls for turning the same in the direction in which the web wound thereon is withdrawn from the withdrawal means of the respective row of rolls.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said con veyor means is mounted below said plurality of supply rolls,

and wherein each of said withdrawal means comprises a pair of withdrawal rolls arranged to clamp in the nip between the withdrawal rolls webs from the respective row of rolls and to feed the webs superimposed upon each other onto the upper face of the upper run, respectively onto the uppermost of the superimposed webs from the row of rolls upstream from the respective withdrawal means.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein one roll of each pair of withdrawal rolls is mounted movable between an active position closely adjacent to the other roll of the respective pair for clamping and feeding the webs passing between the nip of said rolls and an inactive position spaced further from the other roll than in the active position.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said one roll is mounted on tiltable lever means for movement between said active and said inactive position, said lever means and said one roll thereon being arranged to urge said one roll by gravity to its active position.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame means comprise a main frame carrying said plurality of supply rolls and said endless conveyor means, and an auxiliary frame between said main frame and said cutting device, and including an endless drive and conveyor belt on said auxiliary frame between one end of said endless conveyor means and said cutting device, drive means driving said belt and further including transmission means between said belt and said conveyor means.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said drive and conveyor belt and said endless conveyor means are each supported by a pair of pulleys turnable about substantially parallel axes, and wherein one pulley of each pair is adjacent to a corresponding one of the other pair, and wherein said transmission means between said belt and said conveyor means comprises a pair of gears respectively coaxially mounted on said adjacent pulleys, and an additional gear mounted on one of said frames for meshing engagement with said pair of gears.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, including releasable coupling means between said main frame and said auxiliary frame for releasably holding said frames in a position in which said additional gear is in meshing engagement with said pair of gears.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, including a gear coaxially mounted on said other pulley of the pair of pulleys supporting said endless conveyor means and a further gear mounted on said main frame meshing with said one gear on said other pulley and adapted to be brought in meshing engagement with a corresponding gear on a pulley of an endless conveyor means on the main frame of an additional apparatus for storing and transporting a plurality of webs.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, and including a roll adapted to carry a paper web wound thereon carried by said auxiliary frame means and driven by said drive means so that a paper web may be applied to the upper surface of the upper run of said belt beneath the lowermost of the superimposed webs from said supply rolls, and a further roll means above said upper run of said belt for supplying on top of said superimposed webs supplied thereto a web of a repeating pattern showing the outline according to which said superimposed webs are to be cut'by said cutting device.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and including means mounting each of said supply rolls on said frame means movable in axial direction to extend at least in part laterally of the frame means.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein said mounting means include for each supply roll a shaft coaxial with said supply roll, a pair of rails fastened to said frame means and extending substantially parallel to the shaft axis, carriage means riding on said rails and supporting said shaft adjacent one end of the latter, and a tiltable bracket fastened to said frame means and supporting said shaft in the region of the other end thereof.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said frame means includes upright struts respectively located to opposite sides of said shaft axis and wherein said bracket comprises a substantially U-shaped member mounted in the region of opposite ends in said struts tiltable between a supporting position in which it is inclined at an acute angle to the vertical toward the roll and an outwardly and downwardly turned releasing position.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein said carriage means and said bracket each carry in a central region thereof a pair of support rollers having axes parallel to said shaft axis and turnably supporting said shaft.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, and including a bearing carried by said frame means axially spaced from said one end of said shaft, and centering means connected to and projecting in axial direction from said one end of said shaft and received in said bearing.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein said centering means is connected to said one end of said shaft tiltable to a limited degree about an axis extending transverse to said shaft axis.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and including a shaft for each supply roll and a pair of positioning members mounted on said shaft to opposite sides of said supply roll for preventing shifting of said supply roll in axial direction, at least one of said positioning members being adjustable in axial direction of said shaft and fixable on the latter in an adjusted position adjacent said supply roll.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein each of said supply roll includes an inner sleeve surrounding said shaft with clearance and wherein said positioning members have conical outer surfaces respectively engaging the inner surface of said sleeve at opposite ends of the latter so as to center said sleeve on said shaft.

29. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide means comprise a plurality of guide rolls, one for each of said supply rolls, the axes of said guide rolls being located in planes extending substantially parallel to the planes in which the axes of the rows of supply rolls are located.

30. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame means comprises a first elongated lower frame, said endless conveyor means extending in longitudinal direction and being supported on said lower frame, and a second frame straddling with a lower portion thereof said first frame and carrying at an upper portion thereof above said endless conveyor means said supply rolls, and including wheel means supporting said second frame movable relative to said first frame in longitudinal direction of the latter.

3]. An apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein said supply rolls are carried by said second frame in a plurality of substantially vertically arranged rows, and including a plurality of withdrawal means mounted on said first frame, one for each row of supply rolls, each of said withdrawal means including a pair of oppositely arranged clamping and feed rolls adapted to receive in the nip therebetween a plurality of webs from the respective row of rolls, and means cooperating with the upper run of said endless conveyor means for rotating each ofsaid pair of clamping and feed rolls. 

1. Apparatus for storing webs of material, especially webs of fabric, and for transporting such webs superimposed upon each other to a cutting device, said apparatus comprising, in combination, storing means including frame means and a plurality of supply rolls rotatably mounted in said frame means and arranged in a plurality of rows transversely spaced from each other and in each row one above the other; transporting means including endless conveyor means mounted on said frame means and having an upper and a lower run, and drive means operatively connected to said conveyor means for moving said runs with a predetermined linear speed; a plurality of guide means for guiding the webs of each row of supply rolls superimposed upon each other in longitudinal direction toward one of said runs of said conveyor means; a plurality of withdrawal means, one for each row, for simultaneously withdrawing webs in the superimposed condition and for feeding the same onto said one run, each of said withdrawal means comprising at least one rotary withdrawal member; driven from said one run of said endless conveyor means for rotating said rotary withdrawal member at a peripheral speed equal to said predetermined linear speed of said runs, said conveyor means receiving said webs from said withdrawal means and said webs being transported between said withdrawal means and said cutting device solely by engagement with said endless conveyor means so that the webs are fed by said conveyor means in untensioned condition to said cutting device.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said rotary member of said withdrawal means is constituted by a roll, and including transmission means between said withdrawal roll and said one run of said conveyor means for rotating said withdrawal roll during movement of said conveyor means.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said transmission means includes a friction roll engaging said one run on the other side thereof and gear means between said friction roll and said at least one withdrawal roll.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said endless conveyor means has an upper and a lower run and is mounted above said plurality of supply rolls of said storing means and wherein said guide means guide said webs against saId lower run of said endless conveyor means.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said endless conveyor means has an upper and a lower run and is mounted below said plurality of supply rolls of said storing means and wherein said guide means guide said webs against said upper run of said endless conveyor means.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and including roller means supporting said frame means movable toward and away from said cutting device.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of supply rolls are arranged in a plurality of rows so that the centerlines of the rolls in each row are located in a plane which includes with the vertical an acute angle.
 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said withdrawal means includes only one withdrawal roll, and means supporting said withdrawal roll and said friction roll movable between an active position in which said withdrawal roll is closely adjacent said one side of said one run and presses a plurality of superimposed webs against said one side while said friction roll frictionally engages the other side of said one run, and an inactive position in which said withdrawal roll is further spaced from said one side of said run than in said active position and said friction roll is disengaged from said other side of said one run.
 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said supporting means includes a pair of levers tiltably mounted intermediate the ends thereof on said frame means and turnably carrying on opposite ends said withdrawal roll and said friction roll, respectively, said gear means comprising a plurality of gears likewise carried by said levers.
 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said conveyor means is mounted above said plurality of rolls and wherein said withdrawal roll cooperates with the bottom face of the lower run of said conveyor means and said friction roll with the top face of said lower run.
 11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said guide means include a guide plate for each withdrawal means extending downstream therefrom adjacent and substantially parallel to the bottom face of said lower run and each having a downwardly curved inlet end arranged so that a plurality of superimposed webs from the respective row of supply rolls may be clamped between the peripheral surface of the respective withdrawal roll and the inlet end of said plate when said withdrawal means are in the inoperative position thereof.
 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, and including turning means releasably connectable to each of said supply rolls for turning the same in the direction in which the web wound thereon is withdrawn from the withdrawal means of the respective row of rolls.
 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said conveyor means is mounted below said plurality of supply rolls, and wherein each of said withdrawal means comprises a pair of withdrawal rolls arranged to clamp in the nip between the withdrawal rolls webs from the respective row of rolls and to feed the webs superimposed upon each other onto the upper face of the upper run, respectively onto the uppermost of the superimposed webs from the row of rolls upstream from the respective withdrawal means.
 14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein one roll of each pair of withdrawal rolls is mounted movable between an active position closely adjacent to the other roll of the respective pair for clamping and feeding the webs passing between the nip of said rolls and an inactive position spaced further from the other roll than in the active position.
 15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said one roll is mounted on tiltable lever means for movement between said active and said inactive position, said lever means and said one roll thereon being arranged to urge said one roll by gravity to its active position.
 16. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame means comprise a main frame carrying said plurality of supply rolls and said endless conveyor means, and an auxiliary frame between said main frame and said cutting device, and including an endless drive and conveyor belt on said auxiliary frame between one end of said endless conveyor means and said cutting device, drive means driving said belt and further including transmission means between said belt and said conveyor means.
 17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said drive and conveyor belt and said endless conveyor means are each supported by a pair of pulleys turnable about substantially parallel axes, and wherein one pulley of each pair is adjacent to a corresponding one of the other pair, and wherein said transmission means between said belt and said conveyor means comprises a pair of gears respectively coaxially mounted on said adjacent pulleys, and an additional gear mounted on one of said frames for meshing engagement with said pair of gears.
 18. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, including releasable coupling means between said main frame and said auxiliary frame for releasably holding said frames in a position in which said additional gear is in meshing engagement with said pair of gears.
 19. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, including a gear coaxially mounted on said other pulley of the pair of pulleys supporting said endless conveyor means and a further gear mounted on said main frame meshing with said one gear on said other pulley and adapted to be brought in meshing engagement with a corresponding gear on a pulley of an endless conveyor means on the main frame of an additional apparatus for storing and transporting a plurality of webs.
 20. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, and including a roll adapted to carry a paper web wound thereon carried by said auxiliary frame means and driven by said drive means so that a paper web may be applied to the upper surface of the upper run of said belt beneath the lowermost of the superimposed webs from said supply rolls, and a further roll means above said upper run of said belt for supplying on top of said superimposed webs supplied thereto a web of a repeating pattern showing the outline according to which said superimposed webs are to be cut by said cutting device.
 21. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and including means mounting each of said supply rolls on said frame means movable in axial direction to extend at least in part laterally of the frame means.
 22. An apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein said mounting means include for each supply roll a shaft coaxial with said supply roll, a pair of rails fastened to said frame means and extending substantially parallel to the shaft axis, carriage means riding on said rails and supporting said shaft adjacent one end of the latter, and a tiltable bracket fastened to said frame means and supporting said shaft in the region of the other end thereof.
 23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said frame means includes upright struts respectively located to opposite sides of said shaft axis and wherein said bracket comprises a substantially U-shaped member mounted in the region of opposite ends in said struts tiltable between a supporting position in which it is inclined at an acute angle to the vertical toward the roll and an outwardly and downwardly turned releasing position.
 24. An apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein said carriage means and said bracket each carry in a central region thereof a pair of support rollers having axes parallel to said shaft axis and turnably supporting said shaft.
 25. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, and including a bearing carried by said frame means axially spaced from said one end of said shaft, and centering means connected to and projecting in axial direction from said one end of said shaft and received in said bearing.
 26. An apparatus as defined in claim 25, wherein said centering means is connected to said one end of said shaft tiltable to a limited degree about an axis extending transverse to said shaft axis.
 27. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and including a shaft for each supply roll and a pair of positioning members mounted on said shaft to opposite sides of said supply roll for preventing shifting of said supply roll in axial direction, at least one of said positioning members being adjustable in axial direction of said shaft and fixable on the latter in an adjusted position adjacent said supply roll.
 28. An apparatus as defined in claim 27, wherein each of said supply roll includes an inner sleeve surrounding said shaft with clearance and wherein said positioning members have conical outer surfaces respectively engaging the inner surface of said sleeve at opposite ends of the latter so as to center said sleeve on said shaft.
 29. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide means comprise a plurality of guide rolls, one for each of said supply rolls, the axes of said guide rolls being located in planes extending substantially parallel to the planes in which the axes of the rows of supply rolls are located.
 30. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame means comprises a first elongated lower frame, said endless conveyor means extending in longitudinal direction and being supported on said lower frame, and a second frame straddling with a lower portion thereof said first frame and carrying at an upper portion thereof above said endless conveyor means said supply rolls, and including wheel means supporting said second frame movable relative to said first frame in longitudinal direction of the latter.
 31. An apparatus as defined in claim 30, wherein said supply rolls are carried by said second frame in a plurality of substantially vertically arranged rows, and including a plurality of withdrawal means mounted on said first frame, one for each row of supply rolls, each of said withdrawal means including a pair of oppositely arranged clamping and feed rolls adapted to receive in the nip therebetween a plurality of webs from the respective row of rolls, and means cooperating with the upper run of said endless conveyor means for rotating each of said pair of clamping and feed rolls. 